Can opener



Jan. 4, 1955 A. H. JOHNSON 2,698,479

CAN OPENER Filed Dec. 18, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l Rs Y 1 mm M -i O E o Q 2 J j M w mm m mg m f a 7 f H m z Aw/ Q N 0 1?: c A}, n A l {+1111} -lill; L L A Jan. 4, 1955' A. H. JOHNSON 2,693,479

CAN OPENER Filed Dec. 18, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N1 'EN TOR. A A H.JOHNSON 77g? W W U M ATTOQNEYS United States Patent CAN OPENER Allan H. Johnson, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Application December 18, 1953, Serial No. 398,968

Claims. (Cl. 30-10) This invention relates to a can opener and more particularly to a device for splitting open a paper or metal can employed for potting a plant.

The primary object of the invention is to facilitate the splitting of the can without injuring the roots of the plant to facilitate the transplanting of the plant.

Another object is to utilize the weight of the body to advance the splitting knife through the can so as to minimize the enort necessary to open the can.

A further object is to facilitate the cutting through of the beads commonly encountered at the opposite ends of a can which beads serve to join the side wall or walls of the can to the ends thereof.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a blade mounted to move in a rectilinear path and to oscillate in an arcuate path which intersects the rectilinear path, a foot treadle operatively connected to the blade tor moving it in its rectilinear path to sever the side of a can, and a handle operatively connected to the blade for oscillating and moving it in the rectilinear path counter to the direction in which it is moved by the treadle.

Other features include a can rest mounted adjacent the rectilinear path for holding stationary a can in the path of movement of the blade, and a stop carried by the carriage in which the blade is mounted for movement in the rectilinear path for engaging the handle and limiting oscillation of the blade in one direction to hold it in can severing position.

in the drawings:

Figure l is a side view of a can opener embodying the features of this invention and showing the blade partially severing a can,

Figure 2 is a rear end view of the can opener illustrated in Figure l and illustrating in broken lines a can in place preparatory to being severed,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the can opener illustrated in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view through the can opener,

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure l, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a bed plate 10 has secured thereto a vertically extending column or pedestal 12 which carries at its upper end a horizontally extending table 14 which defines a can rest upon which a can C is supported while being opened. Carried by the pedestal and extending vertically along the side thereof remote from the table 14 are channel members 16 which define a guideway in which the carriage, to be more fully hereinafter described, is mounted to move in a vertical path.

The carriage above referred to is designated generally 20 and comprises spaced parallel angle irons 22 certain flanges of which are disposed outwardly and are received in the channels 16 for vertical sliding movement therein. Secured to the angle irons 22 and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the lower end of the carriage 20 and on the side thereof remote from the pedestal or column 12 is a supporting arm 24 carrying a treadle 26, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

Mounted for rocking movement about a horizontal pivot 28 adjacent the upper end of the carriage 20 is a blade 30 which extends between the angle irons 22 and Patented Jan. 4, 1955 "ice is provided on the side of the carriage remote from the treadle with a downwardly extending projection 32 having on the side adjacent the carriage a cutting edge 34 which is adapted to cooperate with adjacent walls of the angle irons 22 to form a shear which will facilitate the cutting through of the beads conventionally formed at the junctions of the ends of the can with the side wall thereof. A handle 36 is carried by the blade 30 and extends outwardly therefrom on the side thereof remote from the table 14 and this handle tends to rock the blade 30 in a clockwise direction when viewed as in Figures 1 and 4 to cause the cutting edge thereof to project outwardly above the table 14.

In order to limit the downward movement of the handle 36, and the upward movement of the blade 30 about the pivot 28, I provide an adjustable stop 38 which comprises a screw threadedly engaged in an internally screw threaded sleeve 40 carried by the angle irons 22 defining the carriage 20. This stop 38 lies in the path of move ment of the blade 30 so as to arrest movement thereof under the influence of the handle 36 and thereby position the cutting edge 34 in proper relation to the can C to facilitate the splitting of the can upon downward movement of the carriage 20 under the influence of the treadle 26. If so desired a second stop 42 may be mounted on the carriage 20 above the blade 30 for adjustment in the path of movement of the handle 36 so that when the handle is used to elevate the carriage and blade to its starting position for opening a can, its movement about the pivot 28 will be limited.

In use, a can to be severed is seated on the table 14 and the carriage 20 is elevated by lifting the handle 36 until the blade 30 is above the top of the can C. With the parts thus positioned, the carriage 20 is lowered so that the point of the blade rests on the can top and by exerting downward pressure on the treadle 26 the point of the blade will penetrate the top of the can or in case there is not top on the can, as illustrated in the drawings, the edge 34 of the blade 30 rests upon the bead surrounding the can adjacent the top thereof. Owing to the thickness of the bead some difficulty may be experienced in severing the can by the exertion of downward pressure on the carriage 20 in which event by holding the sharpened edge 34 against the bead of the can by exerting pressure on the treadle 26 and elevating the handle 36, the blade will be moved about its pivot 28 to cause the cutting edge thereof to shear through the metal of the bead utilizing the angle irons 22 to hold the can during the shearing operation.

After the head has been cut through, pressure is exerted downwardly on the treadle 26 so that the cutting edge 34 of the blade 30 will sever the wall of the can. By adjusting the stop 38 it is obvious that the angle of the cutting edge 34 of the blade may be adjusted to produce the most eificient operation of the device. Obviously where cans are employed for holding potted plants, the cans may be readily severed and split longitudinally to facilitate the opening of the wall thereof so that the plant may be removed from the can with but a minimum gisturbance to the roots, and the ball of earth surrounding While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A can opener comprising a blade mounted to move in a rectilinear path and to oscillate in an arcuate path which intersects the rectilinear path, a foot treadle operatively connected to the blade for moving it in its rectilinear path to sever the side of a can, and a handle operatively connected to the blade for oscillating it and moving it in the rectilinear path counter to the direction in which it is moved by the treadle.

2. A can opener comprising a blade mounted to move in a rectilinear path and to oscillate in an arcuate path which intersects the rectilinear path, a foot treadle operatively connected to the blade for moving it in its rectilinear path to sever the side of a can, and a handle operatively connected to the blade for oscillating it and moving it in the rectilinear path counter to the direction in which it is moved by the treadle, and a can rest mounted adjacent the rectilinear path for holding stationary a can in the path of movement of the blade.

3. A can opener comprising a blade mounted to move in a vertical rectilinear path and to oscillate in a vertical arcuate path which intersects the rectilinear path, a treadle mounted to move in a vertical path below the path of movement of the blade, means operatively connecting the blade with the treadle for moving the blade in unison with the treadle, a handle carried by the blade and extending outwardly therefrom away from the rectilinear path for oscillating said blade and moving it counter to its direction of movement by the treadle.

4. A can opener comprising a blade mounted to move in a vertical rectilinear path and to oscillate in a vertical arcuate path which intersects the rectilinear path, a treadle mounted to move in a vertical path below the path of movement of the blade, means operatively connecting the blade with the treadle for moving the blade in unison with the treadle, a handle carried by the blade and extending outwardly therefrom away from the rectilinear path for oscillating said blade and moving it counter to its direction of movement by the treadle, and a can rest mounted adjacent the rectilinear path for holding stationary a can in the path of movement of the blade.

A can opener comprising a pedestal, spaced parallel guide channels carried by the pedestal and defining a vertical guideway adjacent one side thereof, a table carried by the pedestal and extending outwardly adjacent the top thereof, a pair of spaced parallel angle bars mounted in the channels and defining a carriage which moves in a vertical rectilinear path in the vertical guideway, a blade mounted between the angle bars to rock in a vertical arcuate path adjacent the upper end of the carriage and to move in a vertical rectilinear path above the table, a handle carried by the blade and extending outwardly therefrom on the side of the carriage remote from the vertical arcuate path for rocking said blade and moving it upwardly in the vertical rectilinear path, and a treadle carried by the carriage and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the lower end thereof for moving the blade downwardly in the rectilinear path to split a can resting on the table.

No references cited. 

